Partisan role of law enforcers, administration could affect upcoming election, Jamaat tells EU

The alleged partisan role of law enforcement agencies and the administration could undermine the credibility of the upcoming national election, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami told the European Union (EU) today (7 January).

The remarks came during a courtesy call by a high-level EU delegation on Jamaat Ameer Md Shafiqur Rahman at his office in the capital's Bashundhara area, the party's Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told reporters after the meeting, reports BSS.

The party also warned that political crisis in Bangladesh could resurface if the next national election is not held in a free, fair and neutral manner.

Taher said Jamaat leaders emphasised the need for a free, fair and neutral election, noting that the absence of credible elections has been a major contributor to the country's long-standing political crisis over the past 55 years.

"If the next election is not held in a fair manner, the crisis will resurface," Taher said, expressing concern over what he described as recent partisan behaviour by law enforcement agencies and the administration.

"We urged all concerned to maintain neutrality immediately to ensure public confidence in the electoral process," he added.

According to Taher, the delegation informed Jamaat leaders that the EU plans to deploy the highest possible number of observers in the upcoming election and reiterated its interest in seeing a credible electoral process.

On the Rohingya issue, Taher said the delegation raised questions regarding the protracted refugee crisis. He noted that Jamaat leaders acknowledged the EU as the largest donor for Rohingya refugees and stated that, if Jamaat comes to power, it would work with all stakeholders to find a permanent solution to the crisis.

Responding to a question on whether Jamaat had held discussions with the BNP regarding a national government, Taher said the party's primary focus at present remains ensuring a fair election.

Asked whether concerns over administrative bias could lead Jamaat to stay away from the election, Taher said he did not believe the situation would reach such a point, adding that conscious citizens are already observing the developments.

The three-member EU delegation was led by Paola Pampaloni, director for Asia and the Pacific at the European External Action Service (EEAS). EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller and Monika Bylaite, deputy head of the South Asia Division of the EEAS, were also present.

Senior Jamaat leaders, including Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer, senior Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir, and the Ameer's Foreign Affairs Adviser Mahmudul Hasan, attended the meeting.